Slitting machine



April 21;l 1931. cv. A. SHIPPLgNG 1,801,757"

sLIT-TING MACHINE y Filed Aug. l1, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l BY I f AITORNEYApril 21, 1931.- c. A. sHlPPLlNG SLITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. l, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 'Patented Apr. 2,1, 1931 Unirse stares PATENTOFFICE CHARLES A.. SHIPPLING, OF KIT'CHENER, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNORTO L. CANDEE & COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OECONNECTICUT SLITTING MACHINE Application filed August 1, 1928; SerialNo. 296,686.`

This invention pertains to means for forining a strip of knit goods froma tube thereof.

Y Knit fabric is generally produced in tubular form and then slitlengthwise and-the margins thus produced spread apart so as to form aflat strip, whereby the goods may be more easily handled in making upvarious articles. In producing a tube especially of fleece goods, it iscustomary'to run the tube through a napping machine. During this nappingoperation, the machine puts so much lengthwise tension on the tube thatits circumference is materially reduced, sometimes as much as 8 or l0inches. It then becomes necessary to enlarge this reduced tube to itsoriginal size before slitting and opening to flat form. In methodsheretofore employedl for enlarging the reduced tube, it was necessary torun several different spreaders through the tube, increasing the widthof the spreader each time until the tube was finally enlarged to therequired size. The type of spreader heretofore used was in the form of aframe placed loosely inside of the tube and having a base portion whichrode against the bite of a pair of rolls through which the tube wasadvanced lengthwise so as to continuously stretch the tube over theframe. As the goods travelled through the rolls, the base of thespreader was drawn against the rolls and there was a considerable amountof friction caused by the gripping effect against the clothrbetween thebase of the spreader and the rolls, and this friction combined with thefriction of enlarging the tube did not result in entirely satisfactoryoperation.

One object of the present invention is to 40 provide a spreader adaptedto overcome the foregoingdisadvantages, reduce friction, and to enlargethe tube to proper size by one passage over a spreader.V

Another object is to combine in one machine the operations of enlargingthe tube to the required size, slitting the tube, opening and spreadingthe margins of the slit tube outward to form aV substantially fiat stripof fabric, measuring the strip` andY 5 winding the same into a roll. Y

Other objects and advantages will appear Y as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the following specification and theaccompanying drawings in which :I

F ig. l isa plan view of a machine embodying the invention; Y

F ig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine; ig. 3 is a detail of feedingmechanism; an f Fig. 4 is a developed view of the voperations performedby the machine.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates one practical embodiment ofthe invention, the reference character 1 represents a length of tubularknit goods which has been reduced in circumference by the process ofrunning the tube through a napping machine.,

The tube l is preferably supported upon a pipe 2, which is supported byupright members 3. The pipe 2 may be of any convenientlength whereby toconveniently hold the tubular goods l which is to be subjected totreatment about to Vbe described. A spreader 4 is placed within theouter end of the tubular goods 1 which latter is enteredbetween a pairof rollers 5, then carried around anelevated roller G and then down andbetween a pair of feed rolls 7. The upper one of the rollers 5, and therollers 6 and 7 are generally sand paper covered, the lower one of therollers 5 being an idler. The free end of the tube supporting pipe 2 isdetachably coupled to theV spreader 4 by means of any suitable couplingdevice such as the sleeve and bayonet slot connection 8, the sleeve ofthe connection being slidable on the tube to permit the spreader 4 to beeasily disconnected from the pipe 2 and inserted within the tubularVgoods l. The spreader 4V includes a substantially straight edge 9 whichis held spaced by the pipe 2 a suflicient distance away from the rollers5 so that when the tubular goods l is passing 4between the rollers 5,there will be no friction against the goods between the rollers and theedge 9 of the spread 4. In order to effect easy enlarging of the tube inone passage over the spreader 4, the side edges of the spreader areconverged in the opposite direction to the tube advance, as indicated at10,

CII

and may also be rounded at 11 so as to provide easy passage of the goodsas it advances over the spreader from the pipe 2. The spreader 4 issubstantially flat as indicated in Fig. 2 so that the tube 1 is not onlyenlarged as it passes over the spreader but is also flattened whereby itmay more easily enter between the rolls 5. Guides 4 may be provided atthe sides of the tubular goods 1 in advance of the rollers 5.

After the tubular goods 1 is spread and flattened by passage over thespreader 4 and passes from between the feed rolls 7, a revolving knife12 engages the travelling goods 1 and continuously slits the samelengthwise. rlhe knife 12 engages only one side of the tube 1, and ashield 13 is provided around the knife 12 to prevent cutting through theopposite wail of the goods. rlhe goods is supported upon a revolvingdisc 14 which cooperates with the knife 12 to slit the goods. Afterslitting, the goods 1 passes over an opening and spreading table 15having upwardly and downwardly curved bars 15, the side edges of thetable being converged in opposition to the direction in which the slittube is advancing, as indicated at 16. The side edges 16 of the tableengage the side margins formed by the slit and spread the margins apartso as to open the goods to 'substantially flat form as it advances alongthe table 15. Upon reaching the end 17 of the table 15, the strip ofgoods thus formed has been completely spread and then passes over aspreading bar 1S provided with a multiplicity of grooves 19 diver-gingoutward from the center in opposite directions and adapted to smooth outany wrinkles. As a further aid in removing wrinkles, a roller 2Oadjacent the bar 18 has a series of spirally arranged ribs 21 extendingin opposite directions from the center of the roll and adapted tocontinuously smooth the goods in opposite directions from its centertoward the margins of the goods.

After the strip of goods has been smoothed, it advances to a roll-erwhich is preferably covered with sand paper so as to grip the goods, theend of the goods being attached to a wind-up bar 23 which is journaliedin a slot i and weighted downward by slidable weights 25 at oppositesides of a bar 23 to hold the strip of goods 1 against the roller 22. Ameasuringl wheel 26 is driven by a shaft 27 upon which the sand paperroller 22 is fixedly mounted, and measures the strip of smoothed goodsas it is wound into a roll on the wind-up bar 23.

Fig. 4 shows diagrannnatically the several stages of operations upon thetubular fabric 1 by the foregoing mechanism. The tubular goods 1 isfirst in substantially round form, as indicated at ik. is it advances inthe direction of the arrows it is reduced in two stages, B and C, tosubstantially flat form.

Then as it advances further, the knife 12 engages the tube and slits thesame as indicated at D; and then as the goods travels along the tablel5, it assumes the shape substantially' as indicated at E, and finallyreaches spread out form F, prior to measur ing and winding into a roll(i.

All of the above mechanism beyond the spreader 4 may be supported anddriven in any suitable manner. For instance, the supporting means mayinclude a standard 28 having a journal member 29 secured thereto, and inwhich shafts 5 of rollers 5 are journalled, a shaft (5 of the roller 6being journalled in the standard itself, and another similar journalmember designated 30 may be provided for shafts 7 of the feed rolls 7.ri'he shaft 7 of one of the rollers 7 is preferably yieldingly mountedin the ournal inember 30 by means of a vertical slidable bearing block31 which rides in a vertical slot 32 and rests upon a spring whereby thetwo rolls grip the goods with the proper degree of tension. The roller(S, the upper roller 5, and the upper feed roll 7 are preferablyconnected together through the medium of a chain and suitable sprockets34 secured to their respective shafts, so that they are all driven inunison, and an idler sprocket is adapted to keep the chain 34 in properadjustment with relation to the sprockets 34. The lower one of the feedrollers 7 is driven by a sprocket. 36 through the medium of a chain 37running upon a sprocket 37 on the shaft 7 of the upper roller 7, anidler being provided as indicated at 36. A pulley 38 on the shaft (5 ofthe roller is driven by a belt 39 from any suitable source of power, anda clutch 40 may be thrown in or out of engagement whereby to connect anddisconnect the driving power from the pulley 38. 1t will be seen thatturning of the shaft 6 by means of the driving pulley 38 imparts motiontothe rollers 5, G and 7 so that the tubular goods 1 is continuously fedfrom the pipe 2 over the spreader 4 and thence through the feed rolls 7.rlhe slitting knife 12 and the revolving disc 14 may be convenientlyjournalled in a U-shaped spring element 41, which is adopted to pressthe knife against the disc 14, and is supported upon an up-right 42resting upon cross members 43 connected at one end to the standards 28and at the other end to similar standards 44. The disc 14 has a sprocket45, connected by a chain 46 to a sprocket 47 on a shaft 48 carried insuitable journals 49 supported upon the cross members 43. A pulley 5()on shaft 48 is connected by means of a belt 51 to a pulley 52 on theshaft 6 ofthe roller G driven by the pulley 38, so that as the tube ofgoods 1 feeds beyond the feed rolls 7, the disc 14 is rotated positivelyduring cutting of the tube by the knife 12.

For driving the sand covered roller 22, the

shaft 27 may bev provided with a pulley 52 whic-his driven by a belt 53running upon a pulley 54 secured upon a shaft 55 journalled in thestandards 44. A pulley 56 secured to shaft 55 is connected by means of abelt 57 to a pulley 58 on the driven shaft 48. For revolving thesmoothing roll 20, the shaft 27 of said roll is provided with a pulley59 connected by a belt 60 to a relatively large pulley 6l on the shaft55. By means of this combination of belts and chains, all the variousparts of the mechanism are driven at the proper rates of speed and carrythe tubular goods l continuously through the machine when it has oncebeen entered between the feedl rolls and slit sufficiently to enable theleading end to be secured to the wind up bar 23 and Vthe clutch 40operated to connect power to the pulley 38. All of the foregoingoperations are carried out in one passage through the machine, that is,the tube is enlarged, slit, spread out to form a substantially flatstrip from edge to edge, smoothed, measured and then wound into a rollor otherwise accumulated, and friction at the spreader 4 is materiallyreduced.

It is to be understood in conclusion that the invention is capable ofvarious modifications and alterations within the scope of the appendedclaims, and it is therefore not intended to limit the invention to theexact embodiment described. l

Having' thus described my invention what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent is l. In apparatus for forming knit goods into a stripfrom a tube thereof, in combination, a support for the tube, feedrollers for continuously feeding the tube from said support andadvancing the tube lengthwise, a spreader disposed within said tubebetween the feeding means and the support for enlarging said tubecircumferentially, and a knife arranged toengage and slit the tube as itadvances, said spreader being demountably connected to the support andheld by said support free of the feed rollers.

2. In apparatus for forming knit goods into la strip from a tubethereof, in combination, a bar projecting axially within a length ofsaid tube whereby to support the same, a stretcher demountably connectedto said bar within the tube, feed rolls for continuously advancing saidtube lengthwise, said stretcher being shaped to enlarge said tube beforereaching the feed rolls, and a knife adapted to engage the tube and slitthe same lengthwise.

3. In apparatus for forming knit goods into a strip from a tube'thereof,including in combination, a pair of rollers between which a tube ofknitgoods is advanced, means for slitting the advancing tube lengthwise,

a spreaderdisposed within thetube adapted to increase the circumferenceof the tube and y direct itbetween the rollers, and a support Vfor saidtube from which said tube advances Y a tube of knit goods is advanced,means for slitting the advancing tube lengthwise, a spreader disposedwithin'the tube adapted to direct the tube between the rollers, saidspreader bein substantially flat and having a rear edge fgrom which thetube advances to the rollers, said spreader also having side edgesconverging in the opposite direction to the tube travel Vwhereby thespreader flattens the tube and gradually increases its circumferencebefore'reaching the rollers, a support froinwhich said tube advances tothe spreader, and means for detachably connecting the spreader to thesupport, said support being arranged to maintain said rear edge of thespreader free of the rollers. Y

Signed at Kitchener, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, this 25thday of July,

' CHARLES A. SHIPPLING.

